April 7, 2017 – The Canada economy added more than double the number of Canada jobs in the first quarter of 2017, compared to the same period of 2016.
The 83,000 jobs added between January and March represented a 0.5 per cent gain, compared to a gain of 36,000 (0.2 per cent) in 2016’s first quarter.
With the final quarter of 2016 also a strong period for Canada jobs, the last six months have been prosperous for the Canada economy.
Over the year, employment has increased by 276,000, or 1.5 per cent, with full-time work seeing the biggest gain.
Canada unemployment at the end of March was at 6.7 per cent after a monthly jobs gain of 19,000.
Canada’s Jobs Snapshot
| End February | End March | |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 6.6 | 6.7 |
| Employment rate (%) | 61.4 | 61.5 |
| Labour force participation rate (%) | 65.8 | 65.9 |
| Number unemployed | 1,286,100 | 1,313,700 |
| Number working | 18,288,600 | 18,308,000 |
| Youth (15-24) unemployment rate (%) | 12.4 | 12.8 |
| Men (over 25) unemployment rate (%) | 5.9 | 6.0 |
| Women (over 25) unemployment rate (%) | 5.2 | 5.4 |
Source: Statistics Canada
In the provinces, Alberta was a star player with more than 20,000 jobs added, as the recovery from the oil slump continued in March.
Alberta unemployment was stable at 8.4 per cent, down from a 9 per cent peak in November 2016.
Nova Scotia saw a Canada jobs boost of 4,600, although the province saw a rise in unemployment to 8.6 per cent due to more people looking for work.
Jobs Data in the Provinces
| Jobs change March | Unemployment rate (%) | |
| 1) British Columbia | 4,200 | 5.4 |
| 2) Manitoba | 2,800 | 5.5 |
| 3) Saskatchewan | -5,100 | 6.0 |
| 4=) Quebec | 2,400 | 6.4 |
| 4=) Ontario | -11,200 | 6.4 |
| 6=) Alberta | 20,400 | 8.4 |
| 6=) New Brunswick | 1,700 | 8.4 |
| 8) Nova Scotia | 4,600 | 8.6 |
| 9) Prince Edward Island | -300 | 10.1 |
| 10) Newfoundland & Labrador | 0 | 14.9 |
| CANADA | 19,400 | 6.7 |
Source: Statistics Canada
Manitoba, meanwhile, saw its unemployment rate fall to 5.5 per cent after adding 2,800 jobs.
This low unemployment (compared to 6.7 per cent nationally) was still not enough to topple British Columbia from top spot.
B.C. added 4,200 jobs in March for an unemployment rate of 5.4 per cent, still the lowest among all provinces.
Canada’s three most populated provinces have seen solid gains in employment over the last year.
B.C.’s jobs growth for the last 12 months is at 3.5 per cent, with Quebec at 2.4 per cent and Ontario at 1.2 per cent.
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